Kimkim Trip Reviews for Galapagos Islands

Jacquie was awesome, very attentive, even outside work hours. Our trip was amazing and all of our group vacation couples will be using Kim Kim again.

Hotel Review

M/Y Tribute Superyacht

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The yacht is brand new after a major refab!

Activity Review

Chinese Hat (Santiago Island) & Rabida Island

Cruise Ship

These islands had the best snorkeling of the trip! Sharks, sea lions, morays, octopuses, marine iguanas - it felt like we saw it all.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Trip was excellent - Paul did a great job planning the entire amazing adventure. All details were taken care of - the guides were all excellent, the crew of the Monserrat was very attentive and each step from meeting our group at the airport when we arrived to when we departed was all taken care of. This was our 4th adventure planned by KimKim and it won't be our last.

Hotel Reviews

Holiday Inn Quito Airport, an IHG Hotel

Tababela

Great location close to the Airport for early morning departures

M/Y Monserrat

Quito

Authenticity & Character

Location

Sailing around was wonderful on a small ship.

Staff

Crew was friendly - the guides were able to provide so much information on what we would see, where we would travel to. They provided a wonderful video of our adventure on the Monserrat.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms were rather small (but it is a small ship) recommend that suitcases be duffle bags or carry on size. Rooms were very clean

Acacia Galápagos Boutique Hotel

Puerto Ayora

Great location, super friendly staff and lovely rooms

Authenticity & Character

Lovely hotel with large rooms

Location

Staff

The staff was very attentive and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Patio Andaluz

Quito

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Excursion to an uninhabited island

Galapagos Islands

Highlands of Santa Cruz Island

Galapagos Islands

North Seymour Island

Cruise Ship

Santiago Island: Buccaneer's Cove

Cruise Ship

Santiago Island: Egas Port

Cruise Ship

Isabela Island: Vicente Roca Point

Cruise Ship

Fernandina Island: Espinoza Point

Cruise Ship

Isabela Island: Urbina Bay

Cruise Ship

Isabela Island: Tagus Cove

Cruise Ship

Santa Cruz Island: Bachas Beach

Cruise Ship

Quito Cooking Class

Galapagos Islands

Great experience - the chef and sous chef were wonderful and we really enjoyed "preparing our lunch"

Quality of Experience

Quito City Tour

Galapagos Islands

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The trip and all the arrangements were amazing. All the guides and drivers were where they were supposed to be and everything went off without a hitch!
The Monserrat yacht was a bit of a disappointment. The cabins were much smaller than the pictures implied, and the storage space was inadequate. The guides, Javier and Karem, were excellent; however, there should be more information provided BEFORE the trip detailing the level of activity involved. We found that some of the hikes were too strenuous for my wife. While she was okay with skipping some of them, she was disappointed that she missed out on some of the wildlife and scenery she was hoping to see.
The Quito excursions were well done and our guides, Alex and Roberto, were very capable, friendly and well informed.
The hotel accommodations, the Patio Andaluz in Quito, the Acacia Hotel in Puerto Ayora, and the Holiday Inn in Quito, were excellent! The hotel staffs were uniformly friendly and quite welcoming. We would recommend all of them!

Hotel Reviews

M/Y Monserrat

Quito

The cabins were much smaller than implied by the pictures on their website. The storage space was inadequate (we ended up storing one suitcase in the shower); and the bathroom was small and somewhat awkward to use. While the yacht was in generally good condition, there were some areas that needed attention (sticking windows, minor rust, etc.). The onboard excursion staff was very good. They were very informative and very competent. And very friendly! The crew was friendly too but suffered from some communication miscues as English was not always understood. It did create some confusion at meal times. The ship did not offer any diet soft drinks.

Authenticity & Character

See comments

Location

Staff

Excursion staff was excellent

Cleanliness & Comfort

Unfortunately, it’s probably not possible to increase the cabin sizes but better disclosure would have helped.

Holiday Inn Quito Airport, an IHG Hotel

Tababela

While this was a more conventional hotel, and did not have the charms of the other hotels, it was a very nice property. The staff was friendly and helpful. The restaurant was quite good, with a nice selection of food choices and reasonable prices. The rooms were quite comfortable with all the necessary amenities.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to the airport

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Acacia Galápagos Boutique Hotel

Puerto Ayora

This is a wonderful place to stay in Puerto Ayora! The rooms are large, very well appointed, and the beds are very, very comfortable! Carolina and her staff were wonderful- very friendly and helpful, with excellent recommendations for dining. The included breakfast was amazing- fruit, yogurt, granola, fresh juices, eggs cooked to order, various breakfast meats, toast, potatoes- if you left hungry it was your own fault! Highly recommended!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Best staff of all!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Patio Andaluz

Quito

Fabulous location; excellent staff - warm and welcoming! The hotel building is a historic location and has been completely renovated. Lovely large rooms with comfortable beds. The only negative is the spiral staircase to the upper level bedroom- rather steep and narrow and a bit difficult to maneuver in the dark. Otherwise, a nice hotel!

Authenticity & Character

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Quito City Tour

Galapagos Islands

Nice walking tour of Quito.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Quito Cooking Class

Galapagos Islands

Loved this activity! Hands on class where we got to eat the fruits of our labor! Really enjoyed this.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Jacquie, trip was amazing.
Jacquie stayed on top of our itinerary the entire time from booking til we got back on the plane out of Ecuador! It was such a seamless process, there was a joke that our luck would have to run out, it didn’t. We had one mishap the week before the trip, a flight issue, Jacquie took care of it without us getting involved. She guided us to the tribute yacht and they sure didn’t disappoint! Will definitely us Kim Kim again
And we love the cute Ecuadorean gift we received at our final hotel.
Thank you so much for giving us the amazing bucket list Galápagos trip we will remember for a lifetime

On the Kim Kim side Jacquie was so helpful and kind from start to finish. We really appreciated her accessibility and thoughtfulness. She even went through the trouble of dropping us a thank you gift at our hotel.

The Oniric team on Freddys legacy was fantastic. Roberto, Fernando, Jose Luis and Hansel were the most front facing guides/crew and did an amazing job making everything seamless. There were so many little details that did not go overlooked. The rest of the crew was also amazing. They were always smiling and easy to interact with. They kept the boat spotlessly clean and always had nice touches ready for us like warm towels when we arrived back from a snorkel. They were so knowledgeable and passionate about the Galapagos and really went the extra mile to share their experience and the place with us in a way that was unique. This is hands down the best service, environment and trip I have been on. I cannot recommend it enough. Really every detail was considered and thought of.

I had the most incredible journey to the Amazon rainforest and the Galapagos Islands, all thanks to Tamar! As a single mom traveling with my six children, I needed someone who was reliable and could handle all the logistics, and Tamar exceeded my expectations along with his assistant Ariel.

From the very beginning, Tamar made himself available 24/7 ensuring that every detail of our trip was meticulously planned. With six kids, each having their own opinions, I didn’t have the time to manage transfers to and from airports, activities, hotels, and the like. Tamar took care of everything, allowing us to focus on making memories together.

I also wanted an action-packed itinerary, and he delivered! We were out of our rooms nearly every morning by 5 AM and going strong until 6 PM, exploring the breathtaking beauty of the jungle and islands. Each day was filled with adventure, which kept my kids entertained and happy.

Whenever I had questions about dress attire or other travel concerns, Tamar was just a phone call or text away, always ready to assist. His responsiveness and attention to detail made all the difference.

Overall, this trip was a fantastic experience thanks to Tamar’s dedication and expertise. I highly recommend him to anyone looking to explore South America!

We had never used a travel company before, so didn’t know what to expect, but were so happy we did!

Milton served as our personal guide for almost three days in Quito, and he was a huge reason our experience was so positive. He was always punctual with a clean car, and offered great conversation, allowing us to learn about life in and history of Quito. We’d love to work with him again!

Our time on Santa Cruz was also wonderful, with knowledgeable and friendly guides at each activity. We particularly loved the excursion to North Seymour island and all of the wildlife we had a chance to see up close and personal. The catamaran for the trip was very nice and it made the trip even more special, with a chef on board who cooked a delicious lunch. Our guides for El Chato tortoise reserve and the Darwin museum were friendly and very knowledgeable, answering all of our questions. Every meal accommodated our vegan diet and the food exceeded expectations. The Acacia Hotel was also beautiful with 10/10 service. We spent no time waiting or figuring out transit or logistics, allowing us to fully relax and make the most of our time in Galapagos.

Isabela was also a wonderful time, very different from Santa Cruz as it is more remote and quiet. Our first day itinerary included a 2 pm trip to Los Tintoreras with snorkeling, kayaking and hiking. However, we weren’t picked up until 3 pm and only had a chance to kayak that day as it was getting late. We weren’t given a chance to walk on the Tintoreras or see the reef sharks, which was a bit disappointing. Luckily we rescheduled snorkeling for the next morning, but without a guide, didn't get to snorkel at Los Tintoreras.

A big highlight was the Sierra Negra volcano hike. The guide was very knowledgeable and the trip was well timed with a small group, and absolutely gorgeous.

Overall, we had a great experience and would recommend this adventurous yet relaxing trip!

Hotel Reviews

Albemarle

Puerto Villamil

Great location right on the beach and walkable to restaurants and shopping. It was a noisy being next to a soccer field and with the pool in the middle of the hotel, and felt a bit run down as it was an older space. Overall, good service with recommendations on local restaurants and activities.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Noisy with soccer field next door and could hear other guests. Some stains on curtains and felt a little run down.

Acacia Galápagos Boutique Hotel

Puerto Ayora

Amazing location, attentive and accommodating service, clean and pretty. Great breakfast tailored to dietary needs.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ikala Quito Hotel

Quito

Nice and modern with great service and breakfast. Overall, would recommend!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Would have been nice to be more directly close to restaurants.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Hiking Sierra Negra Volcano

Galapagos Islands

Cuicocha Lagoon

Ecuador

Visit to the Charles Darwin Research Station

Puerto Ayora

Transfer to Quito Airport, Arrival to Galapagos & Highlands of Santa Cruz

Ecuador

Great guide, beautiful tortoise reserve with upscale lunch!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kayaking & Snorkeling at Las Tintoreras

Galapagos Islands

The kayaking was great, but we were not given an opportunity to walk on the island or snorkel as Los Tintoreras.

Quality of Experience

Excursion to an uninhabited island

Galapagos Islands

Quito City Tour - Middle of the World

Quito

My trip to Equador and the Galapagos Islands was the trip of a lifetime. Majo and the KimKim team planned a fantastic itinerary! Unfortunately various travel challenges were incurred, but none of them were related to the KimKim experience. Majo was dealt with many interruptions in our trip, and she expertly navigated 12 people and our missed flights, lost luggage, etc. When I tell people about this trip, my experience was so good that the travel inconvienences didn’t overshadow how wonderful this trip was! Thank you Majo and the KimKim team

I had a wonderful trip to the Galapagos Islands, thanks to our travel agent Maria Jose and all the KimKim team. I was part of a group of 12 friends traveling together from the US. None of us had ever been to Ecuador before. Maria planned a great tour for us, including all day trips, transfers, some meals and travel within Ecuador. The trip got off to a very rough start, since our initial flights were canceled due to bad weather and all of us had to rebook. Most of the group were delayed by a couple of days, and Maria helped each of us according to individual circumstances. As it turned out, I alone landed in Galapagos on the planned arrival day, and I was by myself for 48 hours until the group was reunited. Maria arranged for guides, transfers, and a great boat tour during those first two days on my own. I felt completely supported, even without my traveling companions in a new place. Once we were all together, the remaining week of tourism went very smoothly; we loved the excursions led by friendly and knowledgeable guides. Maria remained responsive and supportive throughout the entire tour and beyond. I was impressed with her patience and her genuine desire that we should have an excellent experience.

WE had several guides throughout our trip. Vivianna was very knowledgeable and thorough. The lunch at the tortoise reserve was quite outstanding, Edwin was also very knowledgeable, considerate of the age range of our group and a watchful eye during our snorkeling adventure! David was with us for a full plus day touring the Historical District and Middle earth. Again he was very aware of or different ages and capabilities. I think he knew everything about everything Ecuadorian!!
Our trip was challenging because weather delays were responsible for 2 lost days. Maria Jose had to rearrange flights and hotel rooms. She put a best effort forward. She arranged for our lost luggage to be delivered to our hotel in Puerto Arroya! We were all pretty sure we would never see that luggage again. Thank you Majo!!

Paola did an excellent job

Hotel Reviews

Blu Galapagos Sustainable Waterfront Lodge

Puerto Ayora

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Iguana Crossing Boutique Hotel

Galápagos

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Indigo Galápagos

San Cristóbal

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

JW Marriott Hotel Quito

Quito

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Excursion to an uninhabited island

Galapagos Islands

Exceptional. Our guide Jairo is a superb guy and would go with him any number of times. Very empathetic, patient, concerned and made sure we enjoyed the activities with out fear.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Highlands of Santa Cruz Island

Galapagos Islands

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit to the Charles Darwin Research Station

Puerto Ayora

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Flamingo Lagoon & Tortoise Breeding Center

Galapagos Islands

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

I

Transport

Kayaking & Snorkeling at Las Tintoreras

Galapagos Islands

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

El Junco Lagoon & Puerto Chino Beach

Galapagos Islands

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Interpretation Center & Tijeretas Hill

Galapagos Islands

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We saw amazing scenes and wildlife every day! The local guides were all fantastic - very knowledgeable, helped us negotiate some of the tougher terrains, and kept us informed of travel arrangements. There were a couple of glitches with taxi pickups, but we knew who to contact to fix it. The hotels (Ikala on Santa Cruz, Isamar on Isabella, and Seaside on San Cristobal) were all really nice, especially the Ikala.
The speedboat transfer from Santa Cruz to Isabella was HORRIBLE! 2 hours of constant jostling and slamming down HARD on the water every few minutes was frightful and gave me a backache. The flight arrangements all worked fine.

Hotel Reviews

Wyndham Quito Airport

Quito

Nice modern hotel, clean comfortable rooms. Frequent shuttle to airport. Very good restaurant, although the service was slow one night.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Just a few minutes from airport

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

SeaSide Hotel

Galapagos

The room was large and clean and comfortable. The breakfasts were large and OK

Authenticity & Character

Location

Walking distance to town

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

There were some small creepy crawlies in the bathroom, other wise clean

Isamar Hotel

Puerto Villamil, Isla Isabela

Beautiful view of the beach.

Authenticity & Character

Small hotel with local flare

Location

Right on beach

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mostly clean and comfortable. The windows were not sealed well so we had little iguanas in the room.

Ikala Galapagos Hotel

Puerto Ayora

The rooms were large, clean, and very comfortable. The restaurant was fabulous!

Authenticity & Character

Tropical vibe beautifully landscaped

Location

Very close to downtown and ferry connections

Staff

They packed us a breakfast to go when we had early departures

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Transfer to the airport for your flight back home (Departure)

Galapagos Islands

Our guide and driver came on time and whisked us to the airport. Our guide helped us with our luggage into the airport and helped us check in.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Free morning on San Cristobal until Departure

Isla San Cristóbal

Not much was open so early in town, but watching the sea lions was fun.

Quality of Experience

Embracing Nature: Discovering Wildlife on Española Island

Isla San Cristóbal

We saw the Nazca boobies and the waves albatross here, very special wildlife and scenery. The trails were rocky and quite challenging.

Quality of Experience

Wonderful unique sights

Food

Chicken was dry and overcooked.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide helped us with the rugged terrain, even taking my phone to take lots of pictures when I had to concentrate on navigating the trails

Transport

The boat was small and fairly spartan. One engine failed during our return, but so we had to slow down and return to dock late.

Welcome to San Cristóbal Island! Visit the Interpretation Center, Tijeretas Hill, or La Lobería

Galapagos Islands

We didn’t do Tijereas Hillsince it was late in the day, but the Interpretation Center was interesting, and La Loberia with all the sea lions was cool.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very accommodating with bringing us a driver when the walking looked too far.

Transport

The restaurant recommended by our guide for dinner was great!

Isabela Island's Treasures: Exploring the Breeding Center & Wetlands

Galapagos Islands

The wetlands had some good bird sightings. The walk was quite long, but mostly the scenery was worth the hike.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discover the Wonders of Tintoreras Islet: A Journey into Breathtaking Biodiversity

Puerto Villamil

We saw the elusive Galapagos penguins!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Experience the Pristine Beauty of Galápagos Islands: Discovering an Uninhabited Island

Puerto Ayora

The wildlife were fabulous, saw many new species. The trail got a too rugged for my sister and I so we were able to wait at a designated area and meet the group later. Lunch on the boat was fantastic. Getting in and out of the small dinghies to get to the boat and island were challenging for us, but the crew was great to steady us.

Quality of Experience

Seeing blue footed boobies and frigate birds and sea lions.

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very helpful to us old ladies with some challenges.

Transport

Nice boat with good seats, nice bathroom

Welcome to Santa Cruz Island: Highlands (Plant a Tree) & Charles Darwin Research Station

Puerto Ayora

It was great to be met at the plane and taken for our afternoon activities. The giant tortoises were really cool. Lunch was good, and fun to be outside so we could watch the birds and tortoises.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to Ecuador: Let Your Adventure Begin!

Galapagos Islands

It was nice after a long day of travel to be met by a driver with my name on a card.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

we had an amazing time in the galapagos & Quito unfortunately we had some weather issues affecting our flights from home causing us to reschedule flights & lost luggage our kim kim specialist Majo was able to get our luggage to the galapagos & although we missed a day & half in San Cristobal we had a wonderful time in Santa cruz for 3 days & when we returned to the city in quito a most delicious dinner arranged & paid for by kim kim . Plus a birthday party for our friend doug who this whole trip was planned for his 60th also arranged by kim kim . Great tour guides & drivers in both places & transfers went well . Majo & her team went up & above to help us & was reachable easily . This is my third Kim Kim trip & each one has been a great experience.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Palace Guayaquil

Guayaquil

dated but clean small restaurant only stayed 1 night on way to Galápagos

Authenticity & Character

They have a interesting history

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Holiday Inn Quito Airport, an IHG Hotel

Tababela

very helpful, professional, pleasant & courteous. 10min from airport, free shuttle. We had an issue with lost luggage they assisted our travel specialist kim kim to help get our luggage delivered to galápagos. Bernie bar manager was awesome!! we loved staying there breakfast was great too , very comfortable beds & rooms!!

Authenticity & Character

Location

10 min from airport free shuttle

Staff

Great staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Guayaquil - Free afternoon

Guayaquil

we got there at night it was day of the dead so we just had dinner about 3 blocks from our hotel & left early next day

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to Ecuador: Let Your Adventure Begin!

Galapagos Islands

we had travel issues related to weather kim kim was helpful in responding & rescheduling activities to fit our schedule

Quality of Experience

Reachable , concerned & adaptable

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Excellent drivers & guides

Transport

excellent

We have NEVER worked with a more amazing company!!!!! Paola was INCREDIBLE!!!! She catered to our every need. My husband and I are 70 years old. We had to be particular about our activities. Paola took everything into consideration to make the trip suit our needs. We are birders. Paola made sure we would achieve our goals. Our guides were personable and knowledgable. Alexis knew his "stuff". Nicholas was a kind charmer who kept us smiling the entire time. The "other" Nicholas did every thing he could to find birds for us. He succeeded!!!!!

I actually cried when I entered our hotel and looked from the balcony. It was that perfect! We will return, and we will use KimKim wherever we plan to travel.

Hotel Review

Hotel Indigo Galápagos

San Cristóbal

Gorgeous views and the room was spacious. The restaurant was wonderful and everyone was sooooooooo kind.

Location

The view and it was close to everything!

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Kayaking Adventure - Ochoa Beach

Isla San Cristóbal

My husband and son went on this adventure. They said it was the best snorkeling they did on the entire trip.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Punta Pitt

Galapagos Islands

It was a lovely boat trip over! My son and husband enjoyed diving. I was welcomed to the top of the boat, to take pictures of birds! Then the walk to Punta Pitt was incredible. Red-footed Boobies with young in nests. A bird photographers dream!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day-Trip to Española Island

Galapagos Islands

This was our favourite day! The boat trip was a bit rough, but that was to be expected. Birds! Birds! Birds! And Nicholas could help us identify birds on the ocean.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

La Lobería & Barranco

Galapagos Islands

It's a tricky walk, but worth it! Alexis, our guide was informative and kind!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Anthony put together a once in a lifetime experience for me. He covered it all with carefully thought out detail and stayed diligent in communicating with great frequency. Anthony’s knowledge of the Galapagos was amazing. Both land and underwater, everything was perfect.
Arriving for an overnight stay in Guayaquil and then the next morning off Santa Cruz was simple. Jorge with Link greeted me on my arrival at the airport, escorted me to the hotel, picked me up the next morning and escorted me back to the airport. Jorge stayed with me through the many steps required to gain proper entry to the Galapagos. Upon my return to Guayaquil, Jorge was right there waiting for me. Again, back to the hotel and a pick up the next morning for my final journey back to the USA.
On my arrival to the Galapagos, I was greeted by Rubin with Link. Once through baggage check, a short bus ride and water taxi, we arrived on Santa Cruz Island. A taxi transport and we were off to the Highlands for lunch, that was followed by an incredible tour through the national park that protects the giant tortoises. Rubin, a biologist and naturalist, narrated the incredible history of how the these gentle giants arrived in the Galapagos.. His knowledge was endless, I felt like I was back in college with an inspiring professor. Back to the taxi for our trip to my hotel, but Rubin wasn’t done as he guided me up to the tortoise Darwin research foundation center where my education continued. If you have chance to ask for Rubin, don’t think thing twice, just do it.
Next was my dive experience, all set up by Anthony with Scuba Iguana. I went the morning before my first dive to be outfitted with all my dive gear. Conveniently located , a short 45 second walk from my hotel, Blu Galapagos. The staff was excellent, quickly checked me in and fitted me with all the equipment I needed for the next five days of diving.
The next morning I arrived at 7 AM for a daily briefing and met dive master Santiago Insuasti who would be my guide for 5 consecutive days of 2 dives per day.
Then a taxi to the dive boat where we met the captain and crew. Each dive had its own unique personality and variety of sea creatures that makes the Galapagos a very special place. Sticking with Santiago was a sure thing, as he was first to notice sharks, sea turtles, stingrays, schools of barracuda, octopus, eels and heavy schools of colorful small fish. Videos captured all the days treasures. Everyday underwater can be a good day. Luckily, we had an outstanding dive on Friday, Our dive at Daphne was the best I’ve had in 20 years. It started with 2 white tip sharks laying at the bottom, quickly followed by 2 playful sea lions zooming around us starring in our mask then flipping around and taking off. Then turtles and stingrays, to many to count. An octopus tucked in a rock opening and a green eel sticking his head out. The grand finale was a huge very dense school of small fish, so thick you couldn’t see through them. The kind of dive you didn’t want to end. After all our dives, Santiago patiently helped transfer numerous videos to our phones. Honestly, I’ve never had a master diver like him.
The next morning, it was time to say good bye to Santa Cruz and Galapagos. I was greeted by Gandhi with Link who escorted me via taxi back the airport and made sure all my details were correct for my return to the Ecuador mainland, Guayaquil.
Finally, Anthony with KimKim set all this in motion and it was a flawless execution, exceeding all my expectations.
Thank you Anthony with KimKim and the Link organization.
A special thank you to Santiago Insuasti with Scuba Iguana, who made my underwater experience so captivating.

Alvaro made the planning process very easy and quickly answered all our questions. We had an amazing trip and absolutely loved all the hiking, snorkeling, boating, and great food! We took hundreds of photos and made lots of great memories. We especially loved our hotel in Santa Cruz and hearing the story of the owner and her family- she greeted us with iced tea and cold towels to cool off and we had a delicious breakfast on the rooftop with views of the harbor each day of our stay.

Hotel Reviews

Isamar Hotel

Puerto Villamil, Isla Isabela

Helpful staff and great location right in beach

San Jose de Puembo Quito Airport, an Ascend Hotel Collection

Puembo, Quito

Beautiful hotel and delicious food at restaurant

Plaza Luna Suites

Puerto Ayora

Amazing hotel! Owner was super sweet and told us all about her family history. We lived the breakfast in the roof, the little garden, and the great staff! Would recommend to anyone going to Santa Cruz!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Welcome Back to Quito

Galapagos Islands

Welcome to Ecuador: Let Your Adventure Begin!

Galapagos Islands

Experience the Pristine Beauty of Galápagos Islands: Discovering an Uninhabited Island

Puerto Ayora

Best way to end the trip- peaceful and scenic boat ride to North Seymour with lunch, free wine, fresh fruit and great views. We loved seeing all the wildlife including flamingos! Had a great time snorkeling as well! Reccomend renting wetsuit day before

Hiking the Sierra Negra Volcano (AM) & Speedboat to Santa Cruz Island (PM)

Galapagos Islands

Beautiful hike- challenging if you aren’t in shape though. It is 10 miles in rough terrain. Recommend bring own meal as meal is not as good as food in rest of trip (missed my vegetarian note so I only had oranges to eat). We love hiking and this had great views and a fun climb so would reccomend!

Discover the Wonders of Tintoreras Islet: A Journey into Breathtaking Biodiversity

Puerto Villamil

Great wildlife in this tour- recommend renting your own wetsuit in town ahead of time

Afternoon Bay Tour in Santa Cruz

Puerto Ayora

We lived the boat ride and animals we saw- lots of baby blue footed boobies! We enjoyed snorkeling as well.

Welcome to Santa Cruz Island: Highlands (Plant a Tree) & Charles Darwin Research Station

Puerto Ayora

Loved the lava cave tour and the tortoise ranch. Had a delicious meal and lots of great photos

Snorkeling at Tortuga Bay

Puerto Ayora

Loved the hike and kayaking in the bay- saw lots of sea turtles! Bring cash to rent your own kayak

Everything worked out very smoothly. Great communication, putting something together for us. Last minute was pretty miraculous. Highly recommend! Beautiful place and saw and did almost everything we wanted to do..

Our 6-day Galápagos trip with kimkim, visiting San Cristobal, Isabela, and Santa Cruz, was outstanding in every aspect. Organization was seamless—transfers, ferries, and daily excursions all went flawlessly, and every detail was coordinated in advance, making the experience truly worry-free. The hotels were comfortable, clean, and charming, with attentive staff at each location.
Excursions and guides were a highlight: we explored iconic wildlife sites, went snorkeling with turtles and penguins, and enjoyed insightful guided tours to giant tortoise reserves and the Charles Darwin Research Station. The guides were exceptionally knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and engaging, making each activity both fun and educational. Special thanks to Viviana in Santa Cruz!!!
In Quito, the service quality continued at the same high standard. Special mention goes to Matteo, who was especially helpful—offering insightful guidance, arranging smooth logistics, and enhancing our city experience with his expertise and friendliness.
We highly recommend kimkim for a Galápagos and Quito adventure—well organized, reliable, with excellent guides, great service, and memorable experiences from start to finish

Ms. Jacquie Granda, you are God sent. We thank you so much for arranging our amazing trip to Ecuador/ Galápagos. We had an absolutely incredible time and everything went so smoothly. The airport transfers were seamless. The hotels you recommended were extraordinary. The activities and restaurants you suggested were perfect! The guides (especially David, Ruben and James) provided great service, knowledge and guidance. The whole itinerary you created for us was spot on! For all your hard work and precise attention to details, THANK YOU, you rock! 🤘🏼 YOU will definitely hear from us on our future south america travels/trips. #highlyrecommended ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Hotel Reviews

Ikala Galapagos Hotel

Puerto Ayora

The hotel speaks great service, comfort, cleanliness and professionalism! our stay was incredible!

Authenticity & Character

Location

geographically spot on!

Staff

Shoutout to Christian for excellent service! 🫶🏼 Always dependable and attentive to guests’ needs!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Swissotel Quito

Quito

Staff service, Food, Cleanliness, Comfort Professionalism - five star! ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Exploring the Santa Cruz Highlands & Charles Darwin Research Station

Galapagos Islands

Seeing the giant tortoises just walking hand in hand with humans was a surreal experience. It's something you usually only see in a zoo, but here, they're just not bothered at all by human presence. Highly recommend!

Afternoon Bay Tour in Santa Cruz

Puerto Ayora

The Afternoon Bay Tour in Santa Cruz was truly unforgettable. The snorkeling was spectacular, and helped make it the perfect nature-focused activity.

Kim Kim and its local partner Authentic Ecuador planned and implemented a seamless extremely well run 17- day mostly private tour of Quito, the Galapagos, Lima and Machu Picchu. The hotels they selected were top of the line and first-rate with excellent rooms and wonderful breakfasts. Most importantly, all of the guides ( and support personnel, such as drivers) were wonderful. The trip organiser Paul did an exceptional job keeping abreast of every detail. He made a special visit to our hotel in Quito to personally meet and greet us. Special mention should also go to our guide in Quito (Jose)m Jacome who was very helpful in showing us this beautiful City, to Julio Quispe in Cusco (and Machu Picchu) who was an exceptional guide in every respect and went way beyond the call of duty in assisting us with a health issue, to Bosco Villene who made sure our time in Lima and our flight to Cusco went very well, and to all of the guides and local contacts in the Falapsgos including but not limited to Astrid Freire who were both extremely knowledgeable and competent at their jobs and dedicated to their beautiful well-preserved islands.